30 August 2007

The AP is reporting that Teamsters will try to block Mexican trucks coming into this country.

WASHINGTON - The Teamsters Union said Wednesday it will ask a federal appeals court to block the Bush administration's plan to allow Mexican trucks to carry cargo anywhere in the United States.

The union said it has been told by officials in the Transportation Department's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that the first Mexican trucks will be coming across the border on Saturday.

It's wierd when issues put you on the side of people you would normally have no use for.

A little history is required here:I spent 5 years driving a tractor-trailer; specifically I drove a moving van for United Van Lines.I was an independent contract carrier. In other words I was non-union.I drove in the late 70's to early 80's, and was driving at the time of the so-called "truckers strike", during which time I saw some of my fellow independents get shot at, have rocks , and in one instance a bowling ball, dropped off overpasses onto their rigs, and was a witness to one instance of a particularly nasty trick of hanging a five ounce lead fishing weight on mono-filament over the edge of a bridge wall at windshield height. The driver doesn't see it until the weight encounters the windshield. Imagine driving along at 65 MPH and suddenly your windshield shatters, covering you with glass...all of these incidents were allegedly perpetrated by union drivers (Teamsters) who were unhappy about the pending de-regulation of the trucking industry.Coming from a "right to work" state, Virginia, my attitude towards unions has always been biased. Unions are for people who couldn't normally hold a job, and had to have the protection of an organization to keep them from getting fired for failing to perform their duties. I know thats a stereotype... We've all heard the stories. (The one exception to this, in my mind, is the UMW. If there was ever a class of workers who needed protection, it's the miners)

The one redeeming aspect of unions is SAFETY!!!!!!!!! Safety is paramount. Safety is Job One.There is no other single issue more important than getting home after your job is finished in the same condition as when you left that morning.

This is why I have to stand with the Teamsters on this one. This is a not a "they're taking my job issue". This is a safety issue. If we start letting Mexican trucks into this country, it will be a disaster. There is no ICC, no DoT, no safety inspections, no verification of competence for drivers, that I am aware of, in Mexico.

The first Mexican truck that kills a family on vacation becasue the driver was inexperienced, or the truck wouldn't have passed one of our safety inspections, is going to be a very bad day for this country.

It goes back to one more thing: the bordersI haven't even broached the subject of terrorism. Whats to stop al'caca from loading up a truck with explosives and just driving right across the border?

CLOSE THE DAMN BORDERS NOW!!!

Jeeez Louise, what has to happen to make the government see the absolute stupidity of this?

DISCLAIMER: The above is the express opinion of a God fearin', USA loving, gun-totin' , cammo wearing, pickup truck drivin, country-music listenin', NASCAR watchin', terroist hatin', former Marine, redneck male member of society. No one says you have to agree.

1 comment:

I can say from personal experience driving many of the freeways in CA, where many of the truck drivers are from South of the border, that this is not a good thing. I'm no fan of Unions, esp these days, but I too am with them on this. I have seen too many really precarious situations involving truck drivers ~ I came to believe that the rules of the road were but mere suggestions to them. As are so many other rules in this country.Plus, for me,it's the principle of the situation. Apparently, principle has gone totally out the window among our government officials.